The Best ofs have gotten the best of me lately. Last up, Duke Ellington. Current times call for solemn spins, and one doesn’t, I repeat, DOESN’T beat the Duke. Happy Friday the 12th, kids.
Tag Archives: wax
Abuse Your Illusion
I was already out from underneath the GNR umbrella once Use Your Illusion I and II came out, but that didn’t deter me from going back, some 20 years later, and acquiring South Korean versions of these undisputed albums. No gatefold on these issues, just double LP goodness, courtesy of LA’s finest.
Rings of Mystery
I can’t help but wonder what paramount beverage bestowed the previous owner (possibly, previous to the previous) of this dingy copy of George Harrison’s Dark Horse. She was a thrift store find, so really, it’s anyone’s guess. Yeah, that is all.
More Ebb, Less Flow
Ok, so Nitzer Ebb should never play second fiddle, but she’s now birthing the que since there was no time to spin Saccharine Trust today. Groove woes, am I right?!
Split 7″
I walked out of Punk Rock BBQ last night with this Saccharine Trust / Minutemen split 7″, thanks to the lovely lady. It was a lovely surprise to a rowdy day of beer, hot dogs, and groovy punk rock. Haven’t spun it yet, but she’s next in the rotation. Cheers.
Death to the Kitty
Punk Rock BBQ. Don’t be sad because it’s over, be happy that it was. RIP Liquid Kitty.
Don’t Drop the Baby
It’s certainly not often that one’s favorite band, once considered obsolete (mainly due to the final, RIP concert one attended some 10 years back), releases a new track, then limits said song to a 440 7″ pressing only available at a recent Denver, CO show. As a Los Angeleon, I was excited to hear said news, but very worrisome of the avenue with which to obtain it. Thank you Discogs and your reasonably priced sellers. More Rocket, yeah, that’ll do.
NW8
In 1971, some long, 45 years ago, B.B. King kicked off his UK tour with the release of B.B. King in London. Featuring Steve Winwood and Ringo Starr (among several other all-stars), BBKiL (as nobody calls it) sits alone in the busied library as the only B.B. King album in the collection. Heartbreaking, I know, and definitely something to be rectified.A River of Green
Creedence came on at work yesterday and I was taken back to my grade school years when all I listened to, for what seemed like years, was Bad Moon Rising. I overdid it a bit on that track, and have since bypassed that track all together. Green River, Creedence’s third record, and album vehicle with which Bad Moon Rising came, is a non-stop roots rock trophy of classic Creedence. One of those albums that could easily be a greatest hits, Green River includes Cross-Tie Walker, Lodi, Wrote a Song for Everyone, Commotion, and Tombstone Shadow, among, obviously, Bad Moon Rising and the title track. Creedence is like the Kinks in that, once you start down the rabbit hole, it’s several months until you’re allowed to escape. Not a bad problem to encounter, to be honest.Life in the Fat Lane
Life in the Fat Lane, Fat Music Vol. 4 was my first introduction to The Ataris, and their late 90s summer classic, San Dimas High School Football Rules. They must have fallen into obscurity after that, as that was my only exposure to this crazy pop punk band. A quick Discogs check indicates that The Ataris, in fact, did NOT fall into obscurity as they put out a new, self-released album just last year. LitFL also houses Lagwagon’s May 16, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes’ My Favorite Things, and Tilt’s Old School Pig, all of which were late 90s personal classics. Anyway, enjoy your hump day, kids!Sun LP 1270
The 14th studio album by J.R. Cash was released in November of 1962, and was titled All Aboard the Blue Train, for those of you inquiring. Featuring several heavy hitters (Wreck of Old 97, Folsom Prison Blues, Rock Island Line), All Aboard the Blue Train is a collection of previously released Sun Records tracks (save for Blue Train), and was a cash in by Sun after Cash moved to Columbia. It’s a damn good album, as is anything by Cash, and comes highly recommended.LSP-4644 (APRS-5984)
So much can, and needs to be said about this prolific album, none of which will be discussed, even remotely, here. Carry on.
RIP Liquid Kitty
With Liquid Kitty closing its doors decades before its due time (by far LA’s finest cocktail lounge), they will be hosting one last Punk Rock BBQ extravaganza. One final, drunken sendoff, which is scheduled for Sunday, August 7th. As the flyer reads, there will be six bands, cheap booze, and free hot dogs. RIP, Punk Rock BBQ, and RIP Los Angeles’ most colorful lounge.
Looking Back
I could go for some rural dirt beneath my fingernails right about now. Big city life woes gettin’ the best of me these long, sleepless days. Nothing that a cold beer and some Don’t Look Back from Tom Wopat can’t fix. Tonight’s spin. Cheers.
Beastie Boys Fan Club
Ok, so it MAY be 30 years old, but below is the address to the License to Ill era Beastie Boys fan club. Pre-Grand Royal, pre-Nathanial Hornblower, this is Brass Monkey drinking ruffians doing the drunk ruffian thing. Take heed.
Beastie Boys Fan Club
298 Elizabeth St.
New York, NY 10012
The Turning Point
My first John Mayall album, The Turning Point was, for me, indeed just that. Recorded live on July 12th, 1969, The Turning Point featured Eddie Kramer at the recording engineer helm (of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix fame), with Mr. Mayall acting as producer, album art director, and a stellar offering on keyboards, tambourine, slide guitar, harmonica, and vocals. The multi-hat-wearing Mayall kills the harmonica blues sound for what feels like a room of 10,000 eager fans, and should be deemed necessary listening material for any fan of modern blues rock. The Turning Point may not be the best place to start, given Mayall’s extensive library, but it sure is a damn entertaining ride.Band
The Budos Band debut is something of dark jazz magic. Neatly cut, proportional cubes of underground R&B nestled tightly against salt roasted soul, lovingly pierced onto a rotating skewer, marinating over a raging, violent flame of furious funk. Yeah, that about sums it up. Arguably my new favorite band, and one receiving HEAVY spins as of late. Start with TBB (their first), and bloody knuckle your way up their discography ladder. You’re welcome.
Flippin’ Floppies
BS 2000’s debut album (same name) is 19 years old… let that sit for a moment. 1997 is 19 years ago. Anyway, to no one’s fault by my own, presented here is one side of BS 2000’s insert sleeve featuring old school 1997 floppies. There is certain beauty in dinosaur technology, kids.
Best of the West
After 15+ minutes of careful consideration, I finally voted Record Surplus as the “Best Record Store” for Westside Los Angeles. Shameless self promoting hipped me to the link w/ survey while purchasing Mr. Belafonte’s debut album (for $1, remember), but none-the-less! She’s a good shop. The listening stations are a huge plus. The selection often feels picked over, but it’s always worth the time to stop and peruse. 31 years is certainly worth taking note of, and if you find yourself on LA’s Westside, do yourself a favor and pop in. PLEASE tell them they need more Tim Hardin, Rocket from the Crypt, and The Kinks. Best Record Store on the Westside? You got my vote!
$0.92… Folk That!
I was a little apprehensive upon finding Harry Belafonte’s first album in the $1 bin at my local brick & mortar today. I mean, she’s been widely distributed, enjoyed, and redistributed over the past 62 years (1954 -2016), and as a result, she’s a bit beat-the-shit-up. SEVERAL skips marinate the vocal forthcomings of this majestic record, but I still don’t question the trade of my GW. Not only because it’s Mr. Belafonte’s first, but because it’s that damn good.
The Prudent Groove 